1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spinning-type fishing reels having a bail assembly with spaced bail arms pivotably mounted to a rotor and, more particularly, to a mechanism for positively applying a balanced force on the bail arms through an actuating trigger to thereby positively and smoothly pivot the bail assembly from its retrieve position into its cast position.
2. Background Art
Spinning-type fishing reels are well known in the prior art, Typically, a spinning reel has a frame defining a mounting foot for attachment to a rod. A rotor is mounted to the frame for rotation about a fore and aft axis. A line-carrying spool is coaxial with the rotor axis and oscillated in a fore and aft direction by operation of a crank handle, which crank handle operation simultaneously rotates the rotor to thereby evenly wrap line on the line-carrying spool.
To effect a cast with a basic spinning reel, the user picks up the line projecting away from the reel, with a finger on the same hand that holds the rod, and snubs the line against the rod. With the other hand, the user manually pivots the bail assembly from a retrieve position to a cast position. The rod is then cocked and thrust in the direction of the cast. As the rod is thrust, the user moves the line snubbing finger to release the line. Once the cast is completed, the user operates the crank handle to rotate the rotor. A trip mechanism on the moving rotor is automatically actuated by a cam element on the reel frame to force the bail assembly from the cast position back into the retrieve position.
Some fishermen do not like to have to manually grasp and reorient the bail assembly, as is required with the above structure. To accommodate these fishermen, trigger operated bail assemblies have been developed. Exemplary prior art trigger mechanisms are shown in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,658,697, to Steinbaugh, 3,095,158, to Louison, 3,796,391, to McMickle, and 3,908,927, to Louison.
Each of these prior art structures has a movable trigger that is operable to exert a pivot force on a bail assembly to move the ball assembly from its retrieve position into its cast position. In each of these mechanisms, the force from the trigger is exerted through an intermediate mechanism on only one bail arm on one side of the bail assembly. This arrangement may require a substantial force on the trigger to generate the required torque on the bail assembly. To transmit this force, a very sturdy mechanism may be required. The parts of such a mechanism may be costly and heavy. This is very undesirable in the highly competitive fishing industry in which designers strive to provide lightweight construction.
A further drawback with the above prior art structures is that the exertion of the required pivoting force on one side of the bail assembly may result in a canting of the intermediate mechanism and/or the bail assembly. Parts may skew and significant friction may be developed as a result of which the reel may be difficult to operate and/or prone to malfunction.
With the above prior art trigger mechanisms, the user is still required to manually snub the line against the rod during performance of the cast.
The applicant herein, in recent years, introduced to the market a very significant development in the trigger area. Some of the applicant's contribution is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,188, to Smith. The Smith structure utilizes a pin which automatically traps the line on the bail assembly as the reel is placed in a cast mode. The user merely has to operate a trigger which effects (a) pivoting of the bail from its retrieve position into its cast position and (b) positioning of the pin to block the line on the bail assembly. The user releases the trigger as the rod is thrust forwardly to thereby retract the pin to allow the line to pay out. With this arrangement, the user never has to directly touch the line to perform a cast.
Fishing reels incorporating the Smith invention have realized substantial commercial success.